NEW DELHI; Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the new Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bihar’s Darbhanga.
PM Modi noted that the establishment of AIIMS in Darbhanga will significantly elevate the healthcare landscape of Bihar, not only serving local areas like Mithila, Kosi, and Tirhut but also benefiting patients from West Bengal and Nepal.
He also highlighted the employment opportunities that the new AIIMS will create, contributing to the local economy.
“This facility will serve the people not only from Mithila, Kosi, and Tirhut regions but also from West Bengal and nearby regions. Even patients from Nepal will be able to receive treatment at this AIIMS hospital. The construction of AIIMS here will also create many job opportunities. new,” said PM Modi.
Addressing the meeting after the event, PM Modi said that this new AIIMS, along with other development projects worth around Rs 12,100 crores, is part of a larger plan to improve accessibility and healthcare infrastructure in India.
“Our government is working on a holistic approach to health care in the country. Our first focus is to prevent disease. The second focus is accurate diagnosis. The third focus is to ensure affordable and free treatment. The fourth focus is to provide better health care. Facilities even in small towns The fifth focus is to develop the use of technology in health services,” he said.
PM Modi criticized the previous government for its lack of commitment to address the health needs of the poor. and credited Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for taking important steps to change the health scenario in the country.
“In the past, the situation was very difficult. There were few hospitals and doctors, and medicines were very expensive. The previous government remained engaged in promises and claims without serious concern for the needs of the poor. Until Nitish took charge in Bihar. , there is no serious concern to address the issue,” PM Modi said.
PM Modi emphasized the importance of early disease detection, pointing to the establishment of more than 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in India, which focus on the early diagnosis of diseases like cancer and diabetes. He highlighted the success of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which has provided treatment to more than four crore patients.
The Prime Minister also compared the healthcare landscape then and now, pointing out that decades after independence, there was only one AIIMS in Delhi, forcing patients to travel long distances for advanced treatment. He criticized the Congress government for delaying the execution of setting up more AIIMS facilities, saying it was his government that took decisive action to expand medical infrastructure across the country.
“Our government has established new AIIMS in every corner of the country. Now, there are nearly two dozen AIIMS across the country. In the last 10 years, the number of medical colleges has also doubled,” added PM Modi.
He further elaborated on the government’s efforts to improve medical education, citing the addition of one lakh new medical seats in the past decade and plans to add another 75,000 in the coming years. The government has also introduced it medical education in Hindi and other Indian languages, with the aim of empowering students from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue a career in medicine.
PM Modi concluded his speech by paying tribute to folk singer Sharda Sinha, who passed away recently, acknowledging her contribution in spreading the cultural meaning of Chhath festival through her music.
“The way he spread the importance of Chhath festival with his songs all over the world is amazing,” said PM Modi.
